(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a support device for holding and storing a bottle. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a support for holding a long-necked bottle by the neck at an angle from the horizontal.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The need for a device that supports long-necked bottles, such as wine bottles, has been know for some time. It is particularly important to store wine bottles at an angle, with the neck pointed generally downward in order to allow the wine to wet the cork and thus keep the cork from drying out and losing its desirable properties. Various known approaches provide some sort of a support wall or panel that include an aperture that has been adapted for engaging the bottle's neck. A problem associated with many of these devices is that they are often designed for replacing wine bottle racks that support a significant number of bottles, and thus take up a large amount of space and require correspondingly large footing supports.
Another limitation of known devices has been that they offer very little flexibility in the number of bottles that are to be supported by the wine rack. Typically, wine racks are designed to support a large number of bottles or a single bottle. While a large capacity rack is capable of supporting a single bottle, it is desirable to have a wine bottle rack that is versatile in that it can be a rack for supporting a single bottle or a multiple bottle rack.
Still another desirable feature in a wine rack is that the device be easily collapsed, so as to allow low cost shipping.
Another desirable feature in a wine rack is that it should incorporate few, if any, moving parts while still maintaining the ability to support wine bottles.
Yet another desirable feature in a wine rack is that the wine rack be easily separated and assembled into its basic components, so that the device can be shipped in a compact container, and then quickly assembled by the end user.